Electric-tool holder.



.No. 724,721. I PATENTED APR. 7, 1903.

M. LOEWENTHAL. ELECTRIC TOOL HOLDER. APPLICATION FILED JULY 24. 1902.

no MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 PATENTED APR. 7, 1903.

M. LOEYVENTHAL. ELECTRIC TOOL HOLDER. APPLICATION TILED JULY 24. 1902v 2SHEETS-SHEET 2,

NO MODEL.

lnvernor Max Logwcnrhal nemia UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MAX LOEWENTHAL, OF NEW YORK, Y.,ASSIGNOR TO THE PROMETI'IEUS ELECTRICCOMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,' A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC-TOOL HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 724,721, dated April 7,1903.

Application filed July 24; 1902.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, MAX LOEWENTHAL, a

citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Manhattan,city,county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Electric-Tool Holders, of which the following is aspecification, accompanied by drawings.

My invention relates to tool-holders for electrically heated tools, andis especially adapted as an electric-iron holder for holding the ironand completing circuit thereto while it is being electrically heated,although my invention may be used with any electric tool I 5 to which itis applicable.

The objects of my invention are to improve upon the general constructionof electric-tool holders, to simplify their construction, securingcertainty of operation and reduced lia- 2o bility of derangement, and toprevent sparking at the tool-contacts, whereby the contacts on the toolmay be maintained uninjured during the life of the tool.

Further objects of my invention will hereinafter appear; and to theseends my invention consists in apparatus for carrying out the aboveobjects constructed and arranged and having the general mode ofoperation substantially as hereinafter fully described 0 and shown inthis specification and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 isabottom plan view with the bottom removed of apparatus embodying myinvention, showing the internal construction 3 5 of the holder. Fig. 2is a top plan view looking down upon the cover of the apparatus with anelectric iron in position with circuit completed thereto. Fig. 3 is alongitudinal sectional view on the line 1 1 of Fig. l; and

0 Figs. 4: and5 are plan views, partly in section, of electricflat-irons adapted to be used in connection with my improved holder.

Referring to the drawings, upon a suitable base A, which may be ofinsulating material,

as slate, is arranged a frame B of any suitable shape and arrangement,but shown in this instance as substantially rectangular in form andhollow and made of any suitable material, as cast-iron. Means areprovided for securing the frame B to the base A, as

Serial No. 116,870. (No model.)

by suitable bolts a passing through the base and screwed into sockets inthe frame. 7

According to my invention codperatingcon tacts C D and E F are providedadapted to be actuated by suitable means, as by the tool to be heated,to close the electric circuit for heating the tool, and other contacts Gare provided adapted to cooperate with contacts on the tool,,whereby-thetool may be included in" the electric circuit. While variousarrangements of parts may be provided for carrying out myinvention, inthis instance Ihave shown the contacts C and E as stationary andsuitably secured to the frame in any convenient position, as beneath thetop H of the frame. The contacts D and F are shown normally out ofcontact with C and E and adapted to be moved to complete circuittherewith. As a convenient arrangement the contacts D and F are shown ascarried upon levers I, pivoted, as at J, to the frame and provided witharms K, with which a bearing portion on the tool to be heated is adaptedto cooperate and force the arms K apart to complete circuit between thecontacts C D and E F. Suitable means may be provided for normallyholding said contacts open, as shown, a spring L being provided for thispurpose, suitably secured to the frame and bearing upon the levers I.The contacts D and F, carried by said levers, are suitably insulatedtherefrom, the contacts C and E also being suitably insulated from thetop H of the frame B.

My electric-tool holder, as stated, is especially designed for use withan electric iron, and in this instance the top H of the frame isprovided with an'aperture in the form of a slot 0, adapted to receivethe handle P of the electric iron, in Fig. 2 an electric iron beingshown within the holder. In Figs. 4 c and 5 different forms of electricirons are shown, a portion of the handle P of each being shown insection to illustrate the nose or bearing portion Q, shown in thisinstance on the handle, for entering between the arms K and forcing themoutwardly to complete circuit between the cooperating contacts on theframe as the iron is placed within the holder. As the iron is withdrawnfrom the holder by moving the nose Q, from between the arms 100 K thespring L causes circuit to be broken at the cooperating contacts.Suitable means, as stated, shown as contacts G, are provided forincluding the iron in the electric circuit. These contacts G may be ofany suitable construction, but in this instance are shown asspring-contacts suitably secured to but insulated from the top H of theframe B. These contacts G are of suchlength and so arranged that as atool is placed within the holder it first comes into contact with theelectric contacts, as R, on the tool, and then the circuit is completedbetween the cooperating contacts C D and E F. As the tool is removedfrom the holder the arrangement of contacts G is such that circuit isfirst broken between the cooperating contacts 0 D and E F and then thecontacts R on the tool or iron moved away from the spring-contacts G. Bythis arrangement sparking is confined to the cooperating contacts 0 Dand E F, so that the contacts R- on the tool are maintained bright andare prevented from oxidation and burningduring the life of the tool.Likewise, since all the sparking occurs within the holder and out ofsight of the operator the operator is not liable to be startled bysparking or in any way injured in operating the tool. In order tocomplete the electric circuits, suitable binding-posts S are providedupon the frame and insulated therefrom, and connections are made fromsaid posts by wires T to contacts C and E, while from the contacts D andFcircuit is completed, by means of flexible connections V, to thespring-contacts G. The current being supplied from any suitable sourceto the binding-posts S, the circuit is normally open at C D and E F; butwhen the iron is thrust within the holder the circuit is completed atthe cooperating contacts as long as the tool is left within the holderand thrust forward to its farthest position. It will be readily seenthat by withdrawing the tool slightly the circuit may be broken at thecooperating contacts, in which case the iron may be left within theholder without circuit being completed thereto, so that it will notcontinue to be heated.

In the drawings, as in Fig. 2, an electric fiat-iron is shown within theholder, the contacts B being provided upon the iron and it beingunderstood that, as in the usual electric flat-iron, suitable heatingmeans are provided within the iron, as an electric resistance connectedin circuit with the contacts B. These contacts are shown insubstantially the same relative position on each form of iron shown inFigs. at and 5, and no matter what the form of the iron may be it willbe seen that it may be utilized in my improved holder. The same ironsprovided with contacts R may also be utilized in other forms of holdersor with an electric circuit direct, since the contacts R are shown inthe form of sockets adapted to receive plugs for completing the circuit.

Obviously some features of my invention may be used without others, andmy invention may be embodied in widely-varying forms.

Therefore without limiting myself to the construction shown anddescribed or enumerating equivalents I claim, and desire to obtain byLetters Patent, the following:

1. In an electric-tool holder, the combination of normally opencooperating contacts carried by theholder and adapted to be actuated byinsertion of the tool, and other contacts electrically connected to thefirstnamed contacts and adapted to complete circuit to the tool whenengaged by the latter, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In an electric-tool holder, the combination of normally opencodperating contacts adapted to be closed by the tool, and othercontacts on the holder electrically connected to the first-namedcontacts and adapted to be engaged by the tool prior to the closing ofthe normally open contacts and to complete the circuit to the tool whenthe normally open contacts are closed by the tool, substantially asdescribed.

3. In an electric-tool holder, the combination of a frame, contacts onthe frame, pivoted contacts cooperating therewith and adapted to beactuated by the tool, and other contacts electrically connected with thepivoted contacts and adapted to be engaged by the tool for completingcircuit to the tool, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. In an electric-tool holder, the combination of a frame, contacts onthe frame and pivoted contacts cooperating therewith, said pivotedcontacts being normally maintained open and provided with arms adaptedto be actuated by the tool to complete circuit, and other contacts onthe frame electrically connected to the pivoted contacts and adapted tobe engaged by the tool for completing circuit to the tool, substantiallyas and for the purposes set forth.

5. In an electric-tool holder, the combination of a frame, contacts onthe frame, pivoted contacts to cooperate therewith and provided witharms adapted to be actuated by the tool, and spring-contactselectrically connected to the pivoted contacts and adapted to be engagedby the tool for completing circuit to the tool, substantially as and forthe purposes set forth.

6. In an electric-tool holder, the combination of contacts on the holderfor making contact with the tool, and cooperating normally open contactson the holder electrically connected to the first-named contacts andadapted to be closed last and opened first, by the insertion andwithdrawal of the tool, whereby sparking is prevented at the tool,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

7. In an electric-tool holder, the combination of contacts on the holderfor making con tact with the tool, and cooperating contacts on theholder electrically connected to the first-named contacts and adapted tobe actuated by the insertion of the tool for making and breaking thesupply-circuit, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

8. In an electric-tool holder, the combination of a base for supportingthe tool, a frame provided with contacts adapted to complete circuit tothe tool, and other cooperating contacts electrically connected to thefirst-named contacts and provided with spring-controlled arms adapted tobe actuated by the tool to complete theelectric circuit for heating thetool, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

9. The combination of a holder, a tool removably fitted in the holder, aheater in the tool, contacts on the exterior of the tool forming theterminals of the heater, contacts on the holder to engage those on thetool, nor

many open contacts on the holder electrically connected to the othercontacts thereon, and adapted to be closed by the tool when inserted inthe holder, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination of a holder, a tool removably fitted in the holder,a heater in the tool, contacts on the exterior of the tool forming theterminals of the heater, contacts on the holder to engage those on thetool, normally open spring-actuated contacts on the holder electricallyconnected to the othercontacts thereon, and adapted to be closed by thetool when inserted in the holder, substantially as set forth.

11. In an electric-tool holder, the combination of a base for supportingan electric iron, a frame provided with a slot for the reception of theiron-handle, contacts arranged beneath the top of the frame, and pivotedarms provided with contacts cooperating with the said contacts andadapted to be operated to close circuit by a bearing portion on the ironto be heated, and other contacts on the holder electrically connected tothe pivoted contacts and adapted to be engaged by the iron to completethe circuit thereto, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

12. In an electric-tool holder, the combina tion of a base forsupporting an electric iron, a frame provided with an opening for thereception of the iron-handle, normally open cooperating contactsarranged beneath the top of the frame and adapted to be actuated by abearing on the iron-handle, and other contacts on the holderelectrically connected to said normally open contacts and adapted tocomplete circuit through the iron when ongaged by the latter,substantially as and for the purposes set forth. v

13. In an electric-tool holder, the combination of a base for supportingan electric iron, a frame provided with an opening for the reception ofthe iron-handle, normally open cooperating contacts arranged beneath thetop ofthe frame and adapted to be actuated by a bearing on theiron-handle, and other con tacts adapted to complete circuit to theiron, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

let. In an electric-tool holder, the combination of the contactsconnected to complete circuit to the tool, and other normally opencooperating contacts in circuit therewith and adapted to beautomatically closed last and opened first as thetool is placed in theholder and removed therefrom, whereby sparking occurs between the saidlast-named contacts,

substantially as set forth.

MAX LOEWENTHAL.

Witnesses:

JOHN B. COLE, CHAS. M. RODGERS.

